2021 Chick Order

[JacinLarkwell]

Rhode Island red heritage I think are great. They are cold hardy, lay well, and good meat birds. Personally I like the breed friendly top of the pecking order in a mixed flock.
I have heard the buckeyes are good.
Plymouth Barred Rock are another one I have middle to low pecking order. Cold hardy, meat, and they lay well.

Do you know if all Plymouth rocks are like that? Or do you just know about the barreds?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thinking about maybe a standard cochin. My mom loves them and I can get them sexed. But I worry they won't be great during the summer when it's so hot here.... That's the hard part, birds here almost need to be both cold and heat hardy

 

[STACEYH]

It is my understanding that Barred,Blue,Buff,Colombian,Partridge,Silver Penciled,and White are equal. They are also very sweet birds.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Maybe I'll get a partridge or 2 then. Love the pattern

 

[NatJ]

I will be ordering a few pullet chicks for this coop though. Any suggestions? (I don't care about rate of lay or broodiness level. Just breeds that aren't going to be total bullies or let everyone walk over them constantly)

Have you had any of the Red Shouldered White Yokohama from McMurray Hatchery?
I had some pullets a few years back, and liked them.

Some details about the ones I had:
I bought them in midsummer. They began laying earlier in the fall than the other rare breeds in the order, laid nicely through the winter, and then went broody in the spring. I did not give them a chance to hatch chicks, so I cannot tell how good they would be as mothers. They were not obviously bullies or victims. I had 6 of them, and could distinguish almost all of them by differences in how much red, and by slight variations in size & shape (maybe not a good trait, since purebreds are supposed to match, but pleasant for me in a backyard flock.) I don't think any of them lived past age 1-2 years, because I butchered a couple, and gave the rest to friends-- where they were noteworthy for escaping coops and getting eaten by predators

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Have you had any of the Red Shouldered White Yokohama from McMurray Hatchery?
I had some pullets a few years back, and liked them.

Some details about the ones I had:
I bought them in midsummer. They began laying earlier in the fall than the other rare breeds in the order, laid nicely through the winter, and then went broody in the spring. I did not give them a chance to hatch chicks, so I cannot tell how good they would be as mothers. They were not obviously bullies or victims. I had 6 of them, and could distinguish almost all of them by differences in how much red, and by slight variations in size & shape (maybe not a good trait, since purebreds are supposed to match, but pleasant for me in a backyard flock.) I don't think any of them lived past age 1-2 years, because I butchered a couple, and gave the rest to friends-- where they were noteworthy for escaping coops and getting eaten by predators

Oh god, yokohamas

I have tried for years to get them. Every year they were out of stock, finally got some last year, only to lose half to jumping out of the brooders and being chilled and the other half in the horrible rabbit tray incident of 2021 that also took several other keepers out.

 

[NatJ]

Oh god, yokohamas

I have tried for years to get them. Every year they were out of stock, finally got some last year, only to lose half to jumping out of the brooders and being chilled and the other half in the horrible rabbit tray incident of 2021 that also took several other keepers out.

In that case, never mind my suggestion

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Oh god, yokohamas

I have tried for years to get them. Every year they were out of stock, finally got some last year, only to lose half to jumping out of the brooders and being chilled and the other half in the horrible rabbit tray incident of 2021 that also took several other keepers out.

But maybe I'll add a pullet or two to the list and hope for the best again.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Also, bantams aren't out of the question. Preferably ones on the bigger side, but I have some females that are definitely bantam size (thought they're standard breeds) that do okay with the males

 

[Iluveggers]

I'm going to move Ratchet, my silver legwork with the bad toes, up to the red coop. After losing Peanut and a little mix (Cashew), I'm down to 10 girls between 3 males. I got by with around 8 between two, but with the third being here, I don't think I can risk that. Might bring Roach, my little roach backed Phoenix up too, but I'm not sure yet. I will be ordering a few pullet chicks for this coop though. Any suggestions? (I don't care about rate of lay or broodiness level. Just breeds that aren't going to be total bullies or let everyone walk over them constantly)

Plymouth Rock or Australorp seem to get along w everyone in my flock but aren’t bullies! Wyandotte tend to stick together but get along w everyone as well (& are very pretty!)